Assuming regulators would approve such a deal, Verizon just screwed the prospects of a T-Mobile hookup with a cable company if the AT&T deal does indeed go all the way south. Verizon Wireless has announced that it is purchasing 122 AWS-1 spectrum licenses for $3.6 billion from SpectrumCo covering 259 million POPS in the United States. SpectrumCo is a joint venture between Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks. Comcast owns 63.6% of SpectrumCo and will receive $2.3 billion from the sale; Time Warner Cable owns 31.2% and will receive $1.1 billion; and Bright House Networks owns 5.3% and will receive $189 million.

The deal will also include several product and service agreements, allowing each company to sell the other’s products and down the road, each of the cable companies will be able to sell Verizon Wireless service wholesale. A separate deal allows for the cable companies and Verizon Wireless to create “an innovation technology joint venture for the development of technology to better integrate wireline and wireless services.”

Assuming this deal receives regulator and FCC approval, T-Mobile’s situation just got a lot more precarious. If we continue our assumptions for a minute and the AT&T, T-Mobile does indeed end up with both parties walking away from one another, a likely partner hookup for T-Mobile was one of the SpectrumCo cable companies; each of whom owned spectrum in the same arena as T-Mobile. On another hand, if T-Mobile decided to go at it alone it would likely build an LTE network on AWS-1 bands. If the FCC approves this Verizon/SpectrumCo deal, that adventure just got a lot more difficult. I believe there was some hope in some camps that Deutsche Telekom could have taken the AT&T breakup fee and purchased this same spectrum possibly providing a route for T-Mobile’s LTE rollout offering a much-needed infusion of spectrum to T-Mobile’s network.

This is one story we’ll definitely be keeping an eye on, especially in the event the AT&T, T-Mobile deal continues to fall apart.

About David Beren

David is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of TmoNews.com. He considers himself a Jedi Knight, capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound and a connoisseur of fine cell phones. He has been involved in the wireless industry since 2003 and has been known to swap out phones far too many times in any given year. Should you wish to contact him, you can do so: david@tmonews.com.

The article is there now and I thought a T-Mobile picture worked because the article swings back in their direction. I’ll switch it anyway. :-)

Grant

Interesting. All I can say is GAME CHANGER. Verizon just removed one of the last plan b’s for deutche telekom if its att deal falls through. Asside from tmobile, I am actually a little more concerned about clearwire/sprint’s relationship with the cable companies now. By selling verizon’s service, they technically do not need clearwire or sprint anymore. Then again, this leave Sprint(including clearwire and lightsquared) as the last major potential spectrum holders for tmobile to pair up with. Things just got a lot more interesting. I cannot wait to see how this saga plays out next.

Littlesis1774

Sprint is not going to pair up. They spent about 20 billion dollars for both iphone 4 and 4s. Google is out so I don’t why T-mobile launch that Google music with uncertain future

Anonymous

Well see if this gets approved. If it does, our system is truly broken. How can regulators shut down the tmo acquistion in the name of preserving competition, but allow vzw to buy all remaining spectrum a standalone tmo would need to expand/upgrade its network? I dont like this one bit.

Littlesis1774

I think what going to happen is that AT&T deal gets denied but Verizon wireless coming in to buy T-mobile USA

Anonymous

Thats not going to happen….theres no way vzw gets the nod to buy tmo but att gets denied

Anonymous

$4 billion from AT&T and $1.1 billion from Verizon… how much spectrum $5.1 billion buys??

Greg

Well that’s a kick in the pants.

Fenton Moore

What is finally going to happen is Verizon will wind up buying T-Mo and it will be okayed because they are not AT&T

Littlesis1774

I will okay if Verizon buys T-mobile but at this point DOJ and FCC has to let someone buy T-mobile. If Verizon makes a play for T-mobile then FCC and DOJ just might have to settle with just three competitors. T-mobile should not go out of business just because wants four companies

Wackostu

Comcast and TWC just got their wireless service to add to their “bundles”. Interesting move, but stinks for TMO.

Anonymous

What a mess…

GinaDee

This will help AT&T actually.

The US govt will be seen as anti-business and an impediment to the private sector instead of helping them grow if they try to block this and the AT&T buyout.

Brilliant move by Verizon if you ask me.

Anonymous

A brilliant move by Verizon, yes. I don’t think, however, that this will help AT&T. Their attempt to purchase T-Mobile USA is founded on the idea that AT&T is short on spectrum and that only by purchasing T-Mobile USA will they have the spectrum that they need. Spending $39 billion for T-Mobile USA doesn’t look so bright now as Verizon is spending only $3.6 billion. I don’t know how much spectrum T-Mobile USA has, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that $39 billion is considerably more than $3.6 billion. It just makes the argument that AT&T is trying to eliminate a competitor all the more stronger and that spectrum is not the real reason behind their attempted purchase.

Littlesis1774

I think it helps AT&T more then T-mobile

ChoChoPR

That sucks, That’s why I left T-Mobile just recently and join Verzion and got the Droid Razr on 11/11/11 for $111.11. Been with T-Mobile for 10 years and just recently their services has gone down hill, along with their customer-ship and went with a reliable company that’s guaranty services and TRUE 4G LTE Speed then any other carriers. Sorry T-Mo and HEL—-LO VERIZON. =D

ChoChoPR

TMOTECH

Good luck using it in PR.

HSPA+overPCSplease

FCC should realize that after all that sacrifices and difficulties of freeing up TV, satellite, and military spectra in order to welcome wireless industry entrants, the spectra end up being hoarded by Verizon (and AT&T), deprived from affordable carriers and unused.
Shouldn’t there be a law revoking all the unused licenses? This is what happens if carriers are allowed to own unlimited licenses.

curleecolemaniii

Wow Verizon just one up ATT because if they really needed ” SPECTRUM” why not do what they(Verizon) did and buy spectrumco or maybe they(ATT) advised Verizon to do it to make it look like they have no options left but T-Mobile so that down the road maybe Verizon can try and buy sprint hmmmmmm(conspiracy theory)

Enoel69

Covering 259 million POPS in the united states….does that mean covering and capable of serving 259 million of the population of the US? Can anyone confirm if this is the case…idk but thinking POPS is some kind of tech lingo in this case

ogopogo

POP means “Point Of Presence”. It is basically space within a carrier’s site that has connectivity to the other carriers or ISPs.

Anonymous

I thought it stood for population…learn something new everyday

Anonymous

I was once a T-Mobile devotee and things are looking very bleak now. :(

Tbyrne

That’s one way to look at it. Or you could be thankful that this acquisition failed and look forward, hopefully, to a brighter future for T-Mobile.

TMOTECH

Wow. Talk about monopoly. If the FCC allows this it would be worse than the At&t takeover. Verizon would control way too much spectrum. I hope the FCC sees the writing on the wall on this one.

Anonymous

VZW definitely just threw ATT a bone with this one. I wonder how long this spectrum acquisition would take to go thru the approval process? If VZW faces opposition just like ATT is with the TMO buyout, i wonder how all of this would work out? I can’t see one deal getting approved or rejected and not the other.

Read the first line. “Assuming regulators would approve such a deal”. The FCC is seeing and probably the same things we are. Verizon is doing this because of what is going down with the AT&T/TMobile merger. It’s Verizon looking to run the low cost provider out of the market by gobbling up their “only” means of expanding and improving their network.

I don’t think it will be approved.

Anonymous

I agree this just sounds like an attempt to beat down the competition. This deal will “allow each company to sell the other’s products and down the road”?? I can understand cable selling VZW service like we’re already seeing done with WiMax but since VZ has FIOS, what is in it for them? Other than playing keep away?

Jben007

This is just another example of corporate greed. They’re doing fine with what they have right now, but decided to kill the small, struggling business by taking away their last hope. Why are our rich people running the big businesses so selfish? Apple refused to sell their iPhone to T-Mobile because they want T-Mobile to go under. Now Verizon is doing just the same thing. I see this whole net neutrality thing become a problem again.

BP

If approved AT&T at trial will call this mobilism. LOL!!!!

Dub

It’s obvious the big two (AT&T and Verizon) are working together to push this deal through. I strongly believe AT&T may have know of T-mobiles Plan B if the deal fell through contacted Verizon official and a deal was inked with SpectrumCo in order to blow T-Mobiles Plan B out of the water. SMH They are committed to making this deal push through one way or another. I hope AT&T gets what’s coming to them.

Littlesis1774

If Verizon makes a play for T-mobile will DOJ let the deal to go though? At this point no matter which way DOJ and FCC tries to keep it be four companies it doom. T-mobile won’t make it. DOJ is going to have to settle with three

Hamster

I could see this being approved even if the ATTTmo deal fails. This isn’t a company merger or acquisition, it’s just Verizon buying spectrum. And FCC *did* recently allow ATT’s purchase of Qualcomm’s spectrum to go through. This would make things more difficult for Sprint and Tmo, though.

jon

While this isn’t good news, dish network is still sitting there. Dish has spectrum and a plan to go LTE. With DirecTV pairing up with AT&T, Verizon now pairing with cable, Dish and T-Mobile might feel pressure to work together…

Littlesis1774

For some odd reason I don’t seeing that happening. For starters I think DT don’t care that why never they brought the spectrum.

BAD

Wow, this is anti consumer and bad for T-Mobile. Verizon Wireless is already one of the largest AWS spectrum squatters and now they wan’t more? So the big telcos write these crappy FCC spectrum (non)utilization rules, which basically drives up the cost for wireless consumers, and then they will play the anti-business political BS card when the people and maybe the FCC protest.

In our market, T has only 10 MHz AWS. 70 MHz is squatted by Spectrum Co., Verizon, and others. PCS is also being squatted, and that was sold ages ago. Sh__ or get off the can you monopoly telecos and investor class squatters. I say forced auction if not fully utilized in 2 years. I also say the FCC should limit sprectrum ownership to prevent a monopoly or duopoly of wireless spectrum in any market.

Are we going back to the robber baron days or not?

Littlesis1774

This unused spectrum that T-mobile should have got before Verizon did

Anonymous

Wanna know who i blame? DT. They have made a mess of the company i love. They have kept making stupid choices, not knowing how to run a company. DT should have been in on the deal to buy centennial wireless, and if we werent tied up in this ATT stuff, maybe we could have made a run at this AWS spectrum. The reason ATT/Verizon have so many customers and good coverage (VZ anyway) is because they buy other wireless companies/spectrum. I sometimes think monkeys could run T-mo bettter than DT have.

Anonymous

problem is DT could give a rats @$$ about TMO USA. They aren’t looking to spend money, but get money from ATT (via successful sale of breakup fee)

Gsm1900

Well I agree with you that DT has made the mess of TMO US here kinslayer, but i do not agree with the why. DT takes the profits from TMO US, and does not invest it back into the company. How long can TMO last if they stop building towers? Not long. TMO will run out of capacity way before it runs out of spectrum.

TW Worker

FCC doesn’t have to approve nor turn down the deal. Spectrum was never used. Any provider could have come in to purchase it. Testing was done with VZW, Metro, Sprint/Nextel, & TMO so it was fair game. Spectrum has been owned and unused since 2006. VZW saw the opportunity. Unfortunate TMO didn’t jump on it sooner… SMH.

BAD

Lack of FCC rules that should require companies who purchase wireless spectrum to use it as intended creates artificial scarity and utlimately raises prices for all wireless consumers. This is wrong, especially considering that we are talking about public airways, not private widgets.

New rules should be pased to require spectrum be used ASAP or face big penalites and/or loss of spectrum. This would get the investor class (SpectrumCo, etc.) out of auctions and LOWER the price of spectrum.

To favor real competition, no carrier should be allowed to own more than 25% of wireless spectrum in any market. Verizon has more unused AWS in my market than T-Mobile actually uses and now they want more to block future T-Mobile 3G/4G expansion. Very anti-competitive and not much different than AT&T.

If spectrum rules were in place, T-Mobile could get the spectrum they need, at a reasonable price, and when they need it because there would be few eligible buyers to compete against.

Considering that FCC members play musical chairs with big Telecom jobs, it’s no wonder we have such a wireless hodgepodge at prices higher than other countries.

Anonymous

‘Use it or lose it rules’ just like in Europe. It forces buyers to actually build out to a set minimal deployment. This prevents squatting/hording, lowers prices, raises speeds and coverage, and benefits everybody.

BusinessAsBruisual

Good idea, it works for Oil & Gas Exploration and Production on Federally Leased Land. The O&G companys have so long to get rolling with business on the property… and if they don’t it goes back into the pool for re-lease. They do sometimes “squat” on some of these leases waiting on adjacent exploration or developments to evolve…but it’s not quite like buying spectrum and then squatting on it so no one else can use it.

what makes you think Verizon wants 3G gsm, just because they bought aws spectrum? That doesnt mean theyre gonna do 3G Hspa, theyre going to use aws for LTE along with there 700mhz that already in use.

Anonymous

Why? So you can smell like piss and not have a job? That movement of degenerates and perpetually lazy a$$clowns has nothing to do with spectrum licenses.

And for you guys moaning and complaining about corporate greed, if T-Mobile (which I love, but unfortunately, will soon be a distant memory) bought the spectrum, not a single one of you would be saying, “Ah shucks. Look at that corporate greed.” But since it’s Verizon buying the spectrum, magically you all have a problem. If you were Verizon customers, you would be saying, “Awesome. My wireless provider is investing in their network and future.”

Unfortunately, this is something that Deutsche Telekom has obviously not done, and as we all know, they are instead trying to sell their US unit to AT&T.

Coverage

Why doesn’t dt put some freakin money into t mobile coverage I mean if your out of the five largest cities its like you don’t have service

Anonymous

because they don’t care!!!!!

Anonymous

This is a TMO blog…ofcourse we’re upset about this and you’re right…if tmo bought this spectrum, wed be jumping for joy…..But instead, the nation’s largest carrier got the spectrum…..TMo’s loss is another carrier’s gain….story of their existence pretty much

TMOTECH

Spectrum is not isolated to a specific technology. Metro uses AWS for their LTE. At&t uses 850 for GSM and 1900 for 3GUMTS. and will be using 700MHZ for LTE. T-Mobile uses 1900 for GSM and AWS IV for 3G UMTS. Verizon uses 1900 for CDMA3G and is using 700MHZ for LTE

And Let us all be clear. UMTS is WCDMA. Not GSM. It uses the same switch as GSM but nothing past the Switch is the same.
LTE is Also WCDMA with a wider carrier and more efficient architecture. (In simple terms)

Please move out of the USA and take your dumba$$ president with you. Its called business. Newsflash! You are not entitled to ANYTHING. waste of space.

Toomyfriends

That is to bad.I want too puke

Havoktek

That was really and Freakin’ back room bitch slap to Magenta’s dome!!! DAMN!!

J. Williams

It kinda makes me upset, that these bigger companies just use money to keep the other down. Verizon does NOT have good coverage like they advertise everywhere. I know, because I had one. Sprint has good coverage across the states, and ATT just has good EDGE service across the states. The thing that hurts T-Mobile, is that their 4G is NOT everywhere. It is sooooooooo fast, but it’s sooooo limited. They have the best plans, and some PRETTY good devices. T-Mobile needs to advertise more, and make some smart moves with what they have. Things will change.

Anonymous

Many including myself have been preaching this for years. But youll notice that the big 2 generally have better overall coverage than the bottom 2. More network investment and marketing means higher rates for customers….tmo wouldnt be as cheap as it is had they invested heavily in the network or marketed themselves properly. I will say that they wouldnt have to break the bank like vzw with ads in order to be effective.

Tanyavegasgirl

I agree with u .. t-mobile does have a fast 4G hspa+ network lets face it its MUCH faster than at&ts hspa+ but then again at&t has more nationwide coverage even if most of it is edge its still better than having no coverage at all on t-mobile. Its funny how alot of people talk bad about at&t i have t-mobile a galaxy s2 and my boyfriend has a pay as you go lg thrive on at&t . And we both go to vegas alot we live in los angeles. And on the way there there are soo many t-mobile deadspots its not even funny i dnt even get gsm or gprs coverage i get completly no service . All while at&t ALWAYS has service while it may not be 3G service all the time he still gets edge all the way there on at&t he never loses signal cuz like u said at&t has good edge service across the states which i found out its true. One thing i also noticed is while at&t may have a crappy 3G network it has a solid edge network which is just about everywhere even i been surprised that in the most remote places in the middle of nowhere in the dessert my boyfriends Lg thrive always has an edge icon and at least 2 bars of service while i get no service on t-mobile.Having edge on at&t is better to having no service at all on t-mobile. It just sucks having to borrow his phone to text my mom or call her to tell her im ok.

I guess it’s what you expect. Why promote that super fast 3g coverage when you don’t have it all of the time…why not promote that EDGE…that’s not the big buzz word at the time.

In turn, when my folks are here in Vegas, they have NO reception at all in my place and my place is right next to an AT&T tower…(denoted by the coverage maps) best coverage on the strip with their iPhones. However, My sensation is much smoother and FAST as hell when sending them photos…..

Verizon may be looking to make a play at roaming agreements with ATT or poise a position that they can do some spectrum swap with ATT…
Roaming agreements will be a mutha in the upcoming wireless world. They want some of that money too!

You never know…verizon may switch more into GSM technologies to get more into the device game…

Not entirely bad…truly says cable companies are out of the wireless game and that spectrum will be up for sale.

Anonymous

not gonna happen…Verizon will not be allowed to partner with Comcast or Time-Warner….they already have their own Verizon Fios thing going.

Plankton

I do not believe that this deal has to be approved as the spectrum was alloted for sale.

But dont worry, drop $250 for an HTC xyz.

What a MAROOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Plankton

Bugs Bunny is a copyrighted character of Warner Bros. Inc. All rights reserved.

Guest

The licenses have to be transferred. The FCC has to approve this transfer.

Your love for T-mobile is sweet but it has blinded you. I get that you want T-mobile stay independent company but at want cost? Google is not going to buy it and DT is sooner or later is going to pull out. Bigger question is can T-mobile survive being a independent company? Android phones and Windows is not going to be enough to save it

v8dreaming

So we all should jump ship to companies that charge us more for less! I love your reasoning.
Yes, T-Mobile can survive.

Littlesis1774

How since Verizon brought more spectrum? DT just gave us the middle finger

No 2 ATT

How did DT give T-Moblie US the middle finger by another company buying more spectrum?

Littlesis1774

Because they should gotten first instead focusing on a deal that will never happen. At this point T-mobile USA is screw unless Dish Network comes though. They are running out options. Google is out the picture, Dish is maybe so is Vodafone. More time spend on this dead deal the more customers leaves in drones. They becoming less valuable by the minute.

JBLMOBILEG1

It’s a she not a he. Just look at her name…. Verizonfangurl…. too bad she can’t spell simple words.

This is why I say AT&T and Verizon work together. They both even have similar rate plans! Verizon already has sufficient spectrum, why does it need more? Oh I know! It doesn’t need more, it just wants to block competition!

Doing some digging, Apparently back in 2006 Sprint had a lot of money and was helping to fund a lot of stuff…

SpectrumCo was formed when, IMHO, with sprint and the Cable companies really wanted to get into the wireless business. Well…that ain’t gonna happen. Sprint is trying to keep some free cash on hand and the Cable companies have noone to partner with, (T mobile would be a good candidate, BUT with AT&T in the mix, nobody can offer anything right now) So While Verizon is squating on that AWS spectrum it picked in in 2k6, it seems to want more so they can get more…I do see a swap coming in it’s future, but I think the swap will be with ATT to pick up some of that 700mhz spectrum AT&T owns in turn giving them that backhaul.

nothing Bad, now…It’s probably not the AWS band that T mobile operates in but it’s a 20mhz swath of space that could be used for other purposes. Verizon is just being a pig right now…what they do with it…IDK..

I think it just puts more pressure on ATT in the 3 to 5 year plan for rollout of LTE services.

Littlesis1774

AT&T launch their LTE already

Bored

Just ignore bigmixxx. I don’t take him seriously because he has crazy ideas, flawed logic, and a poor understanding of everything. imho, it is a waste of time to pay any attention to him

BigMixxx

so what you are saying? (Yes, they launched their LTE already….)

Let me put this together for you in simple terms that I understand (I meant that too)Did you ever take a minute to think what Verizon actually bought? His some history…This article: http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/article.php?a=99…Great Explanation of AWS and who owns what. It says what they bought, who owns what and where it is….http://www.informationweek.com/news/193003341 gives you some numbers on how valuable spectrum is, today. If the purchase is about Spectrum, for what T mobile paid 4 billion for, they’ve made that back and some. If Verizon is paying 3.6 billion for Specturm that covers a LITTLE of america (relatively speaking), imagine how valuable T mobile spectrum is and the potential for the government to be allowed to increase it…Read this: http://www.globaucal.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=4Yes, It does put more Pressure on ATT to execute, because (IMHO) They will be tied up in court with the DoJ. Verizon in turn buys up spectrum in the band that AT&T would need, should they lose. Stifle’s competition…puts ATT on the ropes to Swap out some of that 700mhz that they own. It’s a real hedge on they are buying uniform real estate left and right. You take a minute to think about it…what is the purchase of ATT and T mobile is about…. I liken it to why McDonalds beat up on Burger King and Wendy’s, McDonalds owns more land than they do so there is a greater presence.The more you own the more valuable you are. So yes, its a strategic move by Verizon to buy up spectrum, even more strategic to jab ATT in the side with this move…Both to protect Verizon and to punish ATT…

Guestme

You know, Verizon CEO and ATT CEO are best of friends. As long as they are in the TOP 2, they dictate and keep the prices high. They don’t want a #3 or any future merge-company nibbling at their heels and forcing them to lower their rate plans.

you forgot about Dish Network who has a lot of spectrum and they want to use it

JBLMOBILEG1

Let’s hope Dish is one of their options. Google could be their savior too although they don’t seem to express much interest. You never know though…. buying Motorola was a surprise. Then again the only reason they did that was to hold Apple at bay.

Besides trying to block competition, I also think that the reason for Verizon acting so quickly to buy this spectrum is because regulators have opposed to the AT&T T-Mobile deal. Since the regulators have opposed this deal, Verizon’s plans of acquiring Sprint are dead. You see, I now fully believe that AT&T and Verizon both planned this! Verizon and AT&T must have been in talks about creating a duopoly. This move by Verizon fairly proves it! Both companies figured if the government allowed AT&T to acquire T-Mobile, then Verizon could acquire Sprint as well.

These two companies, AT&T and Verizon have an agenda besides offering wireless services, they want to instead take over the wireless market and eliminate competition, in order to keep their high prices and extort all American consumers!

I don’t know if the FCC will allow Verizon to purchase this spectrum, but since Verizon is trying to purchase this spectrum they now know that their plans of duopoly are over.

Guestme

Agreed with what you said. And like many previous posters, it’s Verizon and ATT helping each other out. They are a 1 – 2 tag team. They don’t want anyone, or # 3, or any potential merging-company to give them competition and force them to lower their rates in the future. They are happy milking the suckers who are paying their ridiculous prices now.

Anonymous

eh? T-Mobile most likely to build out LTE on its 2G/PCS bands and leaving AWS alone.

Littlesis1774

If Verizon makes a play for T-mobile I will laugh.

NYCellDude

Sorry but I don’t understand how T-Mobile has a brighter future now with this purchase by VZW. This just means T-Mobile has no option to purchase extra spectrum which might have been plan B. Or partner with a cable company/ possibly be bought out by a cable company. Now this shuts the door to any hope. Also to T-Mobile. I hate, HATE DT even more now. I don’t like to use that word but I HATE DT. DT just gave us T-Mobile customers the middle finger with the possible sale. Now this is just icing on the cake. I know this is business and VZW has the cash but what bothers me is the 2 bullies in the playground continue to bully everyone. I thought there is collusion between ATT and VZW. This only makes believe there is collusion. Once again consumers will see price increases.

jon

Cable wasn’t the only thing out there. Dish Network is still out there…with spectrum, I might add. DT could also look to buy clearwire, like they tried to do in the past. DT could also look to scoop up metro or leap for their spectrum…there are many possibilities left. Granted, cable was probably the best option. But I’m still of the opinion that ANYTHING would be better than at&t….both for consumers and employees.

NYCellDude

True, very true Jon. I can only hope Dish Network scoops up T-Mobile USA. I wonder how much spectrum Dish has. I do agree ANYTHING is better than AT&T. Its a kick in the marbles if you ask me.

BigMixxx

No it does not mean they dont have a brighter future. A while back t mobile did a study of additional spectrum.

Very Interesting BigMixxx. That does build some hope for us T-Mobile customers. But it will depend on who owns T-Mobile going forward. I am convinced DT does not want to spend money. The question is who else will bid on T-Mobile and how much money does that potential company has at its disposal. And how dedicated that potential company is building out in the US. I can only hope Google or Dish buys T-Mobile. That was a good read.

Anonymous

“bright”? you are talking about a dim candle flickering in a dark cave full of draft. Good find to support your theory, but in the long run I still think they are in trouble.

Phartypants

Keep in mind, this is not news. That FierceWireless article is a year and a half old. That’s an eternity for this industry…I’d doubt the relevance.

BigMixxx

Yup, not news, Tmonews posted the article last year.

…but the government moves like a glacier. (or at a pace it decides it wants to move).

Main thing is, there is a swath of space available that T mobile could acquire and not cost them a TON of money. (imho)

If the Government kills this T mobile deal, there is the bandwidth solution.

Verizon…stabbing T mobile where it hurts….

Somesmartguy

Now I think its time for tmobile to get the iPhone if they wish to survive…..the average consumer is naive and arrogant and don’t care about phone feature or processors and only care about one name and that’s the iphone. At the end of the day tmo has to listen to the average consumer

TmoRep

true. i had a lady get angry today..i mean angry at me when i asked her why she wanted the iphone. it was just a question for me to understand her needs and possibly offer her a better solution, however she just didnt even want to hear it. she felt offended as to why i would ask her that as if its none of my business. i mean, she was in a tmobile store asking me about the iphone. took a deep breath and told her to enjoy the rest of her day.

i have to get this off my chest. americans are the dumbest, most ignorant, brainwashed, idiots in the world. ive been to dozens of countries still considered third world, spoke to many people, & witnessed logic and thought beyond what the average american will ever hope to amount to. if you disagree, youre either ignorant or have above average intelligence (for an american). travel to different countries and speak with locals about life, government, work, holidays, FAMILY, etc. you will have a different perspective. i guarantee it.

but yea, i agree we should get the iphone for everyone else…

JBrowne1012

Unfortunately you are slightly right. The problem with the iPhone is applle charges too damn much for it t-mobile would ultimately end up losing more by investing in it directly so t-mo is probably just going to make their network compatible with it.I don’t know why many other americans think iPhone is the greatest thing since sliced bread but oh well.

Anonymous

ATT wants to eat up T-Mobile USA in order to be the largest, most powerful and profitable carrier. Now, if T-Mobile does emerge without being swallowed, Verizon wants to pre-emptively suffocate any prospect of T-Mobile’s survival. It’s very clear that American jobs and wireless customers are not a concern in all this. Verizon would rather see TMO die and rot than have their crown threatened.

Certainly seems to be a lot of ruthless greed in the wireless space these days — even more so than in the past.

Anonymous

Strange: How much AWS does VZW have now? Since metroPCS lives on the AWS band makes me wonder if this is being positioned for a non-LTE deployment, given the availability of CDMA AWS handsets…

Anonymous

Verizon had to act ahead of T-Mobile getting the $3 billion cash from AT&T. In the eastern half of the US this gives Verizon 60mhz of AWS.

In the end I see T-Mo, Sprint, Clear and Dish coming together if not through merger then through partnership. A bandwidth giant with some cash to make it happen.

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PhoneDog is one of the largest and most popular interactive mobile news and reviews resource that attracts a community of more than 2.5 million unique visitors each month. The site may have a "cute" name, but it offers up serious editorial content and video reviews that users rely on to make important decisions about their next mobile purchases.